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NHL Draft - ProspectsDiscuss hockey prospects from all over the world and the NHL Draft.

There is no reason for RNH not to play considering there will be no season even Oiler fans will agree with me.

I agree with you that RNH should be released to play in the WJC but ... there are a couple compelling reason for having him skip it:

1) It will be a downgrade in competition from the NHL infused AHL.
2) As early as next weekend he'll be playing with his NHL linemates in OKC (Eberle and Hall) so if they are kept together they'll be able to transition to a lockout shortened season (starting in say mid January) with a lot more ease than most players.

Personally, I think those two points are outweighed by the opportunity to excel playing some very pressure packed games but it wouldn't be entirely unreasonable for the Oilers to disagree with me.

I agree with you that RNH should be released to play in the WJC but ... there are a couple compelling reason for having him skip it:

1) It will be a downgrade in competition from the NHL infused AHL.
2) As early as next weekend he'll be playing with his NHL linemates in OKC (Eberle and Hall) so if they are kept together they'll be able to transition to a lockout shortened season (starting in say mid January) with a lot more ease than most players.

Personally, I think those two points are outweighed by the opportunity to excel playing some very pressure packed games but it wouldn't be entirely unreasonable for the Oilers to disagree with me.

Those reasons are really weak, in my opinion. Good players paired with other good players are going to be good together. The whole idea of chemistry is over-rated. And while the competition may be a bit weaker, the intensity and importance of those games are something all players should experience.

I agree with you that RNH should be released to play in the WJC but ... there are a couple compelling reason for having him skip it:

1) It will be a downgrade in competition from the NHL infused AHL.

International competition is the toughest competition for any sport, whether it's junior or senior. Playing with men and for the most part career minor leaguers and third/fourth lines guys will not help him as these 2 weeks would for his career. Ask any player who's won in this tournament and he'll tell you it's one of the best memories of their careers right up with the Stanley Cup. He's just going to waste his time for that month or so being in the ahl playing meaningless games no one cares about while an entire country and other nations will have their eyes glued on every game at the World Juniors, kid has a chance to prove himself and the type of player he can be at the international level which can just benifit him as a player in club competition and future selections with Hockey Canada if he ever aspires to be an Olympian.

Going solely by their performances this season, Corrado has easily outplayed Koekkoek, Pouliot, Murphy, and Ouellet. Haven't see Ceci, Dumba, Reinhart or Rielly play this year so can't say about those three. As I said, Corrado will be hurt by his draft position and the fact that he wasn't picked this summer, but his play over the past 16 games has been better than at least a half of those guys...

International competition is the toughest competition for any sport, whether it's junior or senior. Playing with men and for the most part career minor leaguers and third/fourth lines guys will not help him as these 2 weeks would for his career. Ask any player who's won in this tournament and he'll tell you it's one of the best memories of their careers right up with the Stanley Cup. He's just going to waste his time for that month or so being in the ahl playing meaningless games no one cares about while an entire country and other nations will have their eyes glued on every game at the World Juniors, kid has a chance to prove himself and the type of player he can be at the international level which can just benifit him as a player in club competition and future selections with Hockey Canada if he ever aspires to be an Olympian.

Someone's seen a few too many ads on TSN...

The AHL offers far and away better competition than what amounts to 2 or 3 competitive yet incredibly sloppy hockey games overseas.

Going solely by their performances this season, Corrado has easily outplayed Koekkoek, Pouliot, Murphy, and Ouellet. Haven't see Ceci, Dumba, Reinhart or Rielly play this year so can't say about those three. As I said, Corrado will be hurt by his draft position and the fact that he wasn't picked this summer, but his play over the past 16 games has been better than at least a half of those guys...

So youre telling me that Corrado is better then Ouellet with 18 points in 16 games but who is actually more of a shut down defender then offensive guy? Who is the best dman in the Q and is the captain and driving force behind the 5th ranked junior team in the entire country?

Doubtful, and on top of that hes the guy who shut down Yakupov with Harrington in the summer series. He hasnt outplayed Ouellet this year at all and definitely doesnt deserve to be on it more

So youre telling me that Corrado is better then Ouellet with 18 points in 16 games but who is actually more of a shut down defender then offensive guy? Who is the best dman in the Q and is the captain and driving force behind the 5th ranked junior team in the entire country?

Doubtful, and on top of that hes the guy who shut down Yakupov with Harrington in the summer series. He hasnt outplayed Ouellet this year at all and definitely doesnt deserve to be on it more

Remove like from that sentence and youre golden

Lol, in all seriousness Ouellet should make it. He could of helped us last year but were just so deep.. It was a coin toss.

So youre telling me that Corrado is better then Ouellet with 18 points in 16 games but who is actually more of a shut down defender then offensive guy? Who is the best dman in the Q and is the captain and driving force behind the 5th ranked junior team in the entire country?

Doubtful, and on top of that hes the guy who shut down Yakupov with Harrington in the summer series. He hasnt outplayed Ouellet this year at all and definitely doesnt deserve to be on it more

Remove like from that sentence and youre golden

I havent watched ouellet play this year so I will reserve judgement of his play but just a heads up corrado is the capatain of his team has 2 less points than ouellet with the same amount of games played, also is touted as a defensive defenceman who did not look out of place at all when he played in the AHL last year, also his slapshot has been recored over 100 mph

So youre telling me that Corrado is better then Ouellet with 18 points in 16 games but who is actually more of a shut down defender then offensive guy? Who is the best dman in the Q and is the captain and driving force behind the 5th ranked junior team in the entire country?

Corrado has 16 points on a team where the next highest scoring defenseman has 3 points and there's only 1 forward at PPG (tied with Corrado). He's also more of a shutdown guy than an offensive guy (hell, that's why he was nominated for the OHL award last season despite mediocre offensive numbers). He's also a captain. (One team has scored 43 goals, the other 66 — who do you think had it tougher to pick up those points?)

Seen both play 2 games this year, thought Corrado played better... small sample size obviously, could've caught Corrado's best games and Ouellet's worst. The fact is, the margin between the two this season is minimal.

Corrado has 16 points on a team where the next highest scoring defenseman has 3 points and there's only 1 forward at PPG (tied with Corrado). He's also more of a shutdown guy than an offensive guy (hell, that's why he was nominated for the OHL award last season despite mediocre offensive numbers). He's also a captain.

Seen both play 2 games this year, thought Corrado played better... small sample size obviously, could've caught Corrado's best games and Ouellet's worst. The fact is, the margin between the two this season is minimal.

Is Corrado a shutdown guy really? Everyone compared him to Jesse Blacker in his draft year I remember he's a speedy dude with some skills and athleticism. Maybe he's adapted his game since then, the offense hasn't really come around until this year so maybe he decided to make his meal ticket rounding out his game.

Is Corrado a shutdown guy really? Everyone compared him to Jesse Blacker in his draft year I remember he's a speedy dude with some skills and athleticism. Maybe he's adapted his game since then, the offense hasn't really come around until this year so maybe he decided to make his meal ticket rounding out his game.

That's what he worked on last season. Ended up leading his team with +26 and was nominated for one of the OHL defensive awards for his defensive play. This is what Brock Otten said last season:

Quote:

"Corrado has developed into a terrific two-way defenseman. His biggest asset is his skating ability and general mobility. He uses it to skate the puck out of pressure situations in his own end, and he uses it to his advantage defensively. His defensive game improved massively this year, to the point where I'd call him one of the better defensive players in the league. He's not incredibly large, but he's aggressive and does not back down from anyone. He'll lay you out on the way to the net, punish you in the corners, and throw a couple of cross checks to your back in front of the net. The only disappointing aspect of his game has been the relative lack of development in his offensive game. He has the puck carrying ability to create offensively, but he still seems a bit tentative to let loose. It seemed like this year he was really focusing on the defensive end. He definitely has offensive potential though."

After watching a bunch of Barons games, World Juniors is such a step down in competition from even the AHL it's unbelievable. To a player that made guys like Keith/Weber/Seabrook/Suter look like his toys at times last season, playing against 18 and 19 year olds that for the most part haven't even played a single NHL preseason game is a bit of a comedown. There is honestly probably nothing to be gained for RNH by going to the tournament in all honesty, it's just way below his pay grade. But if he wants to go, what should stop him. If he wants to go and is up front about it and would fulfill him as a person, Oilers management shouldn't really stop him. If he doesn't care (he's already played in a World Championships and done just fine) or is indifferent either way I doubt he will be going. I doubt the Oilers will be actively encouraging him to go if he doesn't bring it up first. Just not much in it for the Oilers or himself, there's literally nothing to prove he's so far past the skill level of a World Juniors it's not even debatable. We shall see though. Of course as a Team Canada fan I want to see him decimate records though.

RNH should absolutely go to the WJC. Most swedish players come back from the WJC as better players even though it's a lower level than they are used to. If the lockout goes on I would be shocked to not see him play in this tournament.

After watching a bunch of Barons games, World Juniors is such a step down in competition from even the AHL it's unbelievable. To a player that made guys like Keith/Weber/Seabrook/Suter look like his toys at times last season, playing against 18 and 19 year olds that for the most part haven't even played a single NHL preseason game is a bit of a comedown. There is honestly probably nothing to be gained for RNH by going to the tournament in all honesty, it's just way below his pay grade. But if he wants to go, what should stop him. If he wants to go and is up front about it and would fulfill him as a person, Oilers management shouldn't really stop him. If he doesn't care (he's already played in a World Championships and done just fine) or is indifferent either way I doubt he will be going. I doubt the Oilers will be actively encouraging him to go if he doesn't bring it up first. Just not much in it for the Oilers or himself, there's literally nothing to prove he's so far past the skill level of a World Juniors it's not even debatable. We shall see though. Of course as a Team Canada fan I want to see him decimate records though.

It would be a slap in the face for Hockey Canada if he didnt go. If the lockout is still on he will be going. The AHL itself is a step below his pay grade so him going to the WJC instead of toiling in the AHL in front of 1500 fans in OKC for a few weekend games shouldnt be a big deal.

I agree with you that RNH should be released to play in the WJC but ... there are a couple compelling reason for having him skip it:

1) It will be a downgrade in competition from the NHL infused AHL.
2) As early as next weekend he'll be playing with his NHL linemates in OKC (Eberle and Hall) so if they are kept together they'll be able to transition to a lockout shortened season (starting in say mid January) with a lot more ease than most players.

Personally, I think those two points are outweighed by the opportunity to excel playing some very pressure packed games but it wouldn't be entirely unreasonable for the Oilers to disagree with me.

The level of play, intensity, urgency and experience in the WJC is not a downgrade from the everyday AHL.